books.google.co.uk - This extensively revised edition of John Bird's acclaimed biography of Percy Grainger gives the first circumstantial account of the life and works of one of the strangest figures in twentieth-century music. Behind Grainger's highly original compositional achievements, folksong collecting and glittering...https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Percy_Grainger.html?id=aXFmvCjmHd4C&utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePercy Grainger

Percy Grainger

This extensively revised edition of John Bird's acclaimed biography of Percy Grainger gives the first circumstantial account of the life and works of one of the strangest figures in twentieth-century music. Behind Grainger's highly original compositional achievements, folksong collecting and glittering career as a virtuoso concert pianist lay a tragic and chaotic personal life—long domination by his mother, unorthodox sexual predilections, an eccentric athleticism, a demonic spiritual drive and wildly inconsistent personal philosophy with Anglo-Saxon obsessions such as his famous `Blue-Eyed English'. A list of published compositions, a current discography of performances by Grainger, and a selection of his seminal writings complete what has already proved to be a standard work. In their Prefatory Note to the first edition, Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears wrote: `In his sympathetic and tactful biography John Bird has beautifully balanced the brilliance with the turbulence of this unbalanced genius—we are grateful to him'.

Review: Percy Grainger

User Review - Jenny Larsen - Goodreads

This was really interesting. As a person who attends a lot of band concerts, it was fun to learn about this composer and his place in musical history. It really adds to my appreciation of his music.Read full review